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Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
LOCAL contractors must ensure they provide quality work in order to be considered for participation in major capital projects, a senior official has said.

Welcoming delegates during the Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA) conference at a hotel here on Thursday, Masvingo Provincial Minister of State, Dr Paul Chimedza, said it was Government’s wish to engage local contractors in major projects but cited lack of capacity by some locals to complete the job at hand within the stipulated period.

He said as long as indigenous contractors demonstrate their potential to do major projects, Government was there to ensure that they get a stake.

“We have massive projects in Masvingo in the form of the dualisation of the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu highway. Local companies are assured of a 40 percent stake. We also have the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam where a number of projects that call for architectural and artisanal expertise will be rolled out,” said Dr Chimedza.

“My wish is to help local companies to get tenders and participate in the massive job. I will also, in my capacity as your minister here, advocate for your inclusion in the project which will be financed by Austrian contractor, Geiger International.”

The minister said substandard contractors have no room in capital projects, hence the need to have capacity to provide quality products or services.

“The question of time and quality plays an important role in all contracting work. We should be able to second local contractors to do massive projects based on their pedigree to finish the works within the stipulated period,” he said.